There are many reasons to both curse and be thankful
for the weather. Personally I thought this fall was one of the best in
memory if for nothing else than the trees. Traditionally, with our mild
temperatures and practically undistinguishable change from rainy fall
to rainy winter, the leaves of the trees would simply go from green to
slimy rotting brown. This year however with warm days and freezing nights
we witnessed the stunning colors usually reserved for those out east.

Funny enough, there are also many benefits to the brutal
face slapping transition into winter. Of course those who ski are enjoying
downright flabbergasting powder runs before December which almost makes
up for the last three drought years. As well, the dead of winter coming
mid-November leaves far fewer people who will be taken aback by the sudden
emergence of Santa and the most bankrupting of all holidays. Christmas
is here and refreshingly, it actually ‘feels’ like Christmas
with enough time to avert being one of those last minute Seven-11 Santas.

Sure there are some who have this holiday dialed and in whole-hog style
have already mailed out the Christmas cards (lord help you if you reverted
to spamming soulless e-greetings). Leaving the majority of us to only
now notice the guilt ridden consumerism noose closing ever so tightly.
But never fear, the early snow has kicked our brains into action with
just enough time so that we might actually find a thoughtful gift not
purchased under a thousand fluorescent bulbs.

As the sticker says, every dollar is a vote and for those
who can see the obvious benefits to shopping local, it doesn’t get
better than craft fairs, farmers markets and independent stores. The best
part is knowing that the money you spend will no doubt be going to another
person in the community and so on and so on until it inevitably gets into
a store that takes the money out of town.

Luckily, Squamish still has it’s share of local
merchants with a plethora of great gifts. The Hive, Funky Monkey, Trinity
Romance, the skate shop’s, Gelato, Kids Place, Chaos Kids, Big Buddha
and on and on. They don’t have everything, but chances are they
have the right thing. Oh, like Xocolatl who sells perhaps the only fail
safe guaranteed gift: award winning chocolate creations.

As for convenience, you can get everything done
tomorrow or at least make a big ol dent in the list when you go to the
winter wonderland downtown. Not only will there be a Christmas farmers
market, your neighbors will also have their stores open, and there will
be a Santa parade featuring, wait for it, a giant community Christmas
tree. How cool is that? If the snow didn’t get you in the mood the
giant tree downtown will surely warm the cockles of your heart. Looking
back at the year we had I think we could all use a right neighborly chinwag
with some co-co around the tree. Let the cockle warming begin.